Field Talk – Autumn 2013

Welcome to the Autumn 2013 edition

In the usual grindingly slow manner of CAP Reform, we have at last seen further progress with the launch of the English consultation. Not many surprises, but a relief to know that English entitlements will be rolled over, so that the nightmares of golden tickets, special measures for business mergers and scissions and applications to the national reserve for developing businesses have gone away for English farmers…until the next reform!

Of those issues left for consultation, DEFRA has already expressed fairly strong views: in favour of the transfer of 15% of funds (the maximum permitted) between Pillar 1 (direct payments) and Pillar 2 (rural development); and against extending the active farmer criteria under the Basic Payment Scheme to exclude further categories of applicants.

There are still, however, plenty of decisions to be made. At the current pace of progress and with all the cross border differences to reconcile, there is plenty of time this Autumn for farmers to keep up with some of the other changes afoot: renegotiating workers’ contracts post agricultural wages order abolition (see page 1); taking action post town and village green registration changes (see page 6) and considering development opportunities following the removal of various planning obstacles (see pages 3 and 6).